"Making” and makerspaces have become popular ways of engaging young people and adults in hands-on, creative activities that can develop their knowledge and skills in engineering, robotics, scientific problem-solving and the arts. Much of the focus in current programs has been on developing participants’ technical skills and basic scientific knowledge, such as the ability to use simple programming languages or to understand electronic circuitry.
Many students have difficulties with the three major forms of writing: informative, persuasive and narrative. In 2011, only 27% of eighth and 12th -grade students scored at or above proficient on the writing portion of the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP); 20% of eighth-graders and 21% of 12th-graders scored “below basic,” indicating they are unable to perform at the minimum standard for their grade level. Students with disabilities and English language learners show even lower performances on the NAEP.